Electromechanical door lock for laundry apparatus

ABSTRACT

DOOR LOCK STRUCTURE FOR LAUNDRY APPARATUS, PARTICULARLY, TUMBLE TYPE WASHING MACHINES OR CONVENTIONAL CLOTHES DRYERS. THE STRUCTURE IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE PROVISION OF A LATCH, THE MOVEMENT OF WHICH, IS AUTOMATICALLY BLOCKED   IN ORDER TO PREVENT OPENING OF THE DOOR, AT CERTAIN TIMES DURING THE OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS.

Nov. 30, 1971 c. L. HALLER ETAL 3,623,343

ELECTROMECHANICAL DOOR LOOK FOR LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed Nov. '7, 1969 United States Patent O 3,623,343 ELECTROMECHANICAL DOOR LOCK FOR LAUNDRY APPARATUS Clayton L. Haller, Mansfield, Ohio, and Stephen J. Jack,

Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Filed Nov. 7, 1969, Ser. No. 874,754

Int. Cl. D06f 39/14 US. Cl. 68-139 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Door lock structure for laundry apparatus, particularly, tumble type washing machines or conventional clothes dryers. The structure is characterized by the provision of a latch, the movement of which, is automatically blocked in order to prevent opening of the door, at certain times during the operation of the apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates, in general, to laundry apparatus and, more particularly, to door lock structure therefor.

It is well recognized throughout the laundry equipment industry that laundry equipment, specifically, tumble type washing machines, are quite dangerous during certain portions of their cycle of operation. For example, during the spin or water extracting part of the cycle the clothes basket rotates at relatively high speeds, consequently, if the door can be opened at this time, injury can be inflicted to a hand or an arm by the rotating basket.

Accordingly, the general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved door lock structure for laundry apparatus.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a door lock structure for laundry apparatus which structure prevents the door thereof from being opened during predetermined portions of the cycle of operation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the above-cited objects are accomplished by the provision of a door lock structure comprising a latch and a catch arrangement wherein the catch passes through an opening in the latch. The catch has a finger-like extremity which engages the latch such that the door structure, with which they are associated, can only be opened through movement of the latch. A tongue member movably associated with the catch is operatively connected to a solenoid, for movement, upon energization of the solenoid, into the above-mentioned opening into a position intermediate one side of the opening and the catch to thereby block movement of the latch. The solenoid is energized through a switch, actuated by a conventional timer at predetermined points in the cycle of operation of the apparatus.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in view of the drawings and de tailed description forming a part hereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clothes washing machine incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but with the latch of the lock structure thereof, representing the invention, in an unlatching position;

FIG. 4 is a view of an interlock forming a part of the lock structure shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken generally along the line VV of FIG. 2.

3,623,343 Patented Nov. 30, 1971 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, especially FIG. 1, reference character 10 designates generally a tumbler type washing machine comprising front, top, and side walls 11, 12, and 13, respectively. The front wall 11 supports a door structure 14 in registry with an opening 16 in the front wall 11. The door structure comprises front and rear panels 17 and 18 (see FIGS. 3-5).

The front wall 11 has attached thereto a catch member 19 and a solenoid 21. The catch member 19 forms a part of a door lock structure generally indicated at 22, which structure comprises a latch member 23 movably mounted between the panels 17 and 18 of the door structure. A spring 24 (see FIG. 5) captured through cooperation of a pair of fasteners 25 and a protuberance 26 of the latch member 23, serves to bias the latch into a locking position. Another function of the fasteners 25 is to retain a guide member 27 for the latch.

The catch member 19 has a finger-like extremity 28 which, in the door closed position, extends through an aperture 29 in the panel 18 and an aperture 30 in the latch member 23. In the door latching position, illustrated in FIG. 2, the finger-like extremity engages the latch member 23 as indicated at 31. Through manual movement of the latch member downwardly, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, against the bias of the spring 24, the extremity 28 can clear the lip 23' of the latch member as the door structure 17 is moved to the left, as viewed in FIG. 3.

The solenoid 21 comprises a body portion 32 having a cylindrical bore 33 therethrough which has an insert 34 therein. A soft iron core 36 is disposed within the insert 34 and is attached to a tongue element 37 by means of a rod 38. A pair of terminals 39 provide means for connecting the solenoid to a circuit for providing electrical power thereto. In the deenergized condition of the solenoid the core and tongue element occupy the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, by virtue of the bias provided by a coil spring 41, concentrically mounted on the rod 38 intermediate the core 36 and the tapered end of the insert 34. In the energized condition of the solenoid, the core, and consequently, the tongue element are moved to left guided by the upper surface of the catch member 19 as viewed in FIG. 4. In this position of the tongue element 37, downward movement of latch 23 is prevented.

Energization of the solenoid 21 is accomplished automatically through a timer-actuated switch (not shown) which is closed at predetermined periods during the cycle of operation of a timer control generally indicated at 42 (see FIG. 1). As contemplated, the closure of the aforementioned switch takes place during the spin or water eX tracting portions of the cycle of operation. It will be appreciated however, that the switch could be closed at other times or could be closed during the entire operation of the machine. It will also be appreciated that the spring 41 could be used to bias the tongue element 37 into the blocking position shown in FIG. 4 and that the energization of the solenoid 21 would be used to effect unblocking.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above apparatus and different embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the aforegoing description or shown in the accompanied drawings shall be interpreted illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In automatic laundry apparatus operable through a predetermined cycle of operation and having cabinet structure with an access opening and door structure for closing the access opening, the improvement comprising:

lock structure including a latch having a body portion with an opening therethrough and movably mounted on said door structure and a cooperating catch including a finger-like member which extends through said opening and carried by said cabinet structure;

spring means for biasing said latch into engagement with said catch when said door structure is in its closed position, said latch being manually movable against the bias of said spring means to effect disengagement thereof from said catch; and,

means responsive to a predetermined condition of said operation for movement into said opening of said latch to prevent disengagement of said latch from said catch whereby opening of said door structure is prevented.

2. Structure as specified in claim 1 wherein,

has a contoured upper surface and said tongue is guided into said opening by said upper surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,243,977 4/1966 Norgaard 68-439 WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner 

